New Grad...A must read!!!

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Has anyone been turned down by a hospital nurse recruiter because you work in a long term care (LTC) facility (not an Acute experience)? Also, has anyone been told by a nurse recruiter that you might not be eligible to apply as a newly RN grad anymore because you are currently working at LTC? Or been told that you might not be eligible for the Versant Program because by the next hiring date (assuming feb 2010), it will be past 12 months from your graduation date from nursing school (a program criteria)?

The reason why I am asking is because I had this experience with a nurse recruiter and its really frustrating. I really wanted to work in a hospital setting. The problem is that they wanted experience nurses only. For new grads, they have these criterias which makes it hard for some of us, who have no choice but to work in LTC so that we can pay the bills, to set our foot into their doors.

It doesn't surprise me that hospitals are looking for nurses with acute care experience, it is a tough job market and the hospital can save time and money by hiring experienced nurses. To make your self more marketable, you may want to try some different strategies. Have you read through the stickies in the nursing career forum of allnurses? There are lots of good ideas on how you can make yourself more marketable in those stickies.

I gradusted in may 2008. I live in the Northeast and the job market is tight for new grads here. I took a LTC position. I worked there for 5 months just basically passing meds on 23 residents. I rarely even had to take vitals.
In March 2009 I was lucky enough to get hired in a hospital for 16 hrs a week on an ortho/Neuro floor. I usually work 40 hours a week though based on need.
When I got hired there I got a week of classroom stuff, policies of the hospital and brief introduction on some of the paperwork required to do my job as an RN. From there I got 3 weeks of on the floor training with the charge nurse of the day. Within these 3 weeks of "training" I had to go to computer class, IV pump class and CPR training amongst other various classes. All in all I received probably just over 2 weeks of training on the floor. I was told because I already had experience as a nurse I would not get extensive training. The hospital looked at my 5 months of passing meds as experience. I am still behind all of the time and get out late. I have management breathing down my back all of the time to get done on time. I feel if I had the proper time to train as a new grad I would not be having as much dificulty as I am now. So I fully understand the dilemma of many new nurses.

since you are currently in a ltc....consider getting assigned to their "skilled" unit (trachs/vents) if they have it. if they don't, consider a part-time job at a ltc on a trach/vent unit---even if only 1-day per week.

you're not the only one in this same situation. i have friends who went the route of ltc but they took jobs on the trach/vent unit of the ltc. after 4-5 months most hospitals in the area are interested in hiring them---in an icu as a new grad!!!

stay positive... more and more facilities are listing nursing positions with "less than 1 year of experience." although you may not qualify for the "new grad" openings, you will have opportunities soon.

But if you don't get trach, etc experience the hospitals still treat you as a seasoned nurse and then you are screwed. I know this sounds negative but it is the truth. It happened to me and another nurse I work with and we both are struggling. Hopefully there are hospitals out there who realize that LTC skills are not the same as what is needed as a hospital nurse.

you are not reading my post properly...regarding trach/vent care in a ltc....note the reason why i indicated.... get a part-time job in ltc on a trach/vent unit if only for 1-day a week!!!! additional experience never hurt anyone.

i am not sure where you and others reside but the hospitals in my area are snatching up new grads with 4-6 months of trach/vent experience in ltc before they look at the new grads!!!!

additionally, hospitals in arizona, texas, washington and others have many, many positions that seek an rn with "less than 1 year experience." again, i am not sure where you all live; but you might want to consider applying for rn positions out-of-state in order to get a job.

no facility will ever identify any nurse as "seasoned" after only 5 months of experience!!! if this pertains to you....when you get your annual review, you may be in for a rude awakening if you "think" you are "seasoned" with the small amount of time you have been working. if your facility considered you as a "seasoned" nurse, they wouldn't be "breathing down your back."

let me also state, time management is a very important concern for all nurses. again, if i had management "breathing down my back" while at work, i would definitely schedule a meeting with management to get their honest feedback on how i was doing. you may be in for a "surprise." you seem to "think" that management considers you as "seasoned"; but you may recieve other descriptives for your work habits. your few months of experience and current work habits may not be what you "think" it is!

you are not reading my post properly...regarding trach/vent care in a ltc....note the reason why i indicated.... get a part-time job in ltc on a trach/vent unit if only for 1-day a week!!!! additional experience never hurt anyone.

i am not sure where you and others reside but the hospitals in my area are snatching up new grads with 4-6 months of trach/vent experience in ltc before they look at the new grads!!!!

additionally, hospitals in arizona, texas, washington and others have many, many positions that seek an rn with "less than 1 year experience." again, i am not sure where you all live; but you might want to consider applying for rn positions out-of-state in order to get a job.

no facility will ever identify any nurse as "seasoned" after only 5 months of experience!!! if this pertains to you....when you get your annual review, you may be in for a rude awakening if you "think" you are "seasoned" with the small amount of time you have been working. if your facility considered you as a "seasoned" nurse, they wouldn't be "breathing down your back."

let me also state, time management is a very important concern for all nurses. again, if i had management "breathing down my back" while at work, i would definitely schedule a meeting with management to get their honest feedback on how i was doing. you may be in for a "surprise." you seem to "think" that management considers you as "seasoned"; but you may recieve other descriptives for your work habits. your few months of experience and current work habits may not be what you "think" it is!

my god,

you sound extremely angry, downright rude, and childish. it was not my intention to raise your blood pressure or put a twist into your knickers. i do not believe i am a "seasoned" nurse in any respect. my experience is that i was told by my nurse manager that caring for nursing home residents was the same as caring for the hospital patients. i was also informed by my manager that i was a good nurse and that time management was not an unusual occurrence on my review. enough said. end of discussion.

extemely angry, rude, childish....not me. please...my blood pressure has not increased in any way; and never will from a thread/post. now...check your blood pressure because no one is "breathing down my back" while i'm at work...

as i initially stated, you did not read my post properly.

"my god" ...interesting...you elaborate more (or should i be more to the point and state....you more clearly state...) on what you truly meant in regards to yourinitial response. had you elaborated appropriately initially, your post would have made more sense. your explanation now in no way compares to your previous posts. whose fault is that?

try to refrain from referring to others as rude or childish. my comment/response was based upon the initial thread followed by your post---and nothing else. let me also state, my inital post was positive in that i was letting all new grads realize that working in ltc was not a negative if they worked the position to their benefit...skilled facility working with trach/vent residents.

i was not the first to use the term "seasoned" within a post for this thread. additionally, i was definitely not the individual who used the "very mature" term "screwed" in a post either.

again, my response was intended to let new grads working in ltc know that ltc can work to their benefit. do not be too eager to make a comment/post a thread when you are not thoroughly reading what is put before you.

new grads....ltc is not a negative way to start your career. while others may not be positive about it, keep in mind that there are areas within ltc that can be used to your own benefit in order to boost your experience level before you move on to a hospital/acute care facility. a skilled nursing facility with a trach/vent unit can and will help your career tremendously... also, do not let the negative experiences of others deter you in what you need to/have to do. again, my suggestion is simple: in regards to ltc for a new grad, go the route of a trach/vent unit at a skilled facility to get experience under your belt.... this is the point that i was attempting to make in my previous posts.

extemely angry, rude, childish....not me. please...my blood pressure has not increased in any way; and never will from a thread/post. now...check your blood pressure because no one is "breathing down my back" while i'm at work...

as i initially stated, you did not read my post properly.

"my god" ...interesting...you elaborate more (or should i be more to the point and state....you more clearly state...) on what you truly meant in regards to yourinitial response. had you elaborated appropriately initially, your post would have made more sense. your explanation now in no way compares to your previous posts. whose fault is that?

try to refrain from referring to others as rude or childish. my comment/response was based upon the initial thread followed by your post---and nothing else. let me also state, my inital post was positive in that i was letting all new grads realize that working in ltc was not a negative if they worked the position to their benefit...skilled facility working with trach/vent residents.

i was not the first to use the term "seasoned" within a post for this thread. additionally, i was definitely not the individual who used the "very mature" term "screwed" in a post either.

again, my response was intended to let new grads working in ltc know that ltc can work to their benefit. do not be too eager to make a comment/post a thread when you are not thoroughly reading what is put before you.

new grads....ltc is not a negative way to start your career. while others may not be positive about it, keep in mind that there are areas within ltc that can be used to your own benefit in order to boost your experience level before you move on to hospital/acute care facility. a skilled nursing facility with a trach/vent unit can and will help your career tremendously... this is the point that i was attempting to make in my previous threads.

the only and final response i will make is: thank you for the chuckles. your post made me laugh. have a great evening. best wishes. heather

smn2009 - if you want to appear calm in your posts, consider omitting some of the formatting. All the bold, underscored, capitalised and coloured additions convey agitation and high emotion. Particularly when the post you referred to didn't actually contradict yours.

Disregard the arguments, I like the positive attitude you two have. I believe the positivity is very important. One has a big chance to get there if there is a positive attitude (not guaranteed though). But if the attitude is negative, there will never be a way.

I've been little frustrated in that I've looked at Skilled Nursing Facilities and Nursing homes in my area, I walked in, I faxed resumes, etc. But either they are not hiring currently, or they want at least one year acute care experience. Too bad, even the nursing homes here are not hiring new graduates. But I'll keep looking in other areas while still keep an eye in my area.

to you i say, don't allow yourself to get frustrated. keep looking for a job. also, acute care and ltc are not the only places for nurses to work. remember to look to your city government (public health) as well as state and federal government for nursing positions. many times, people forget about these and miss out on opportunities. the federal government does not list their nursing positions as "new grad" so you will need to be careful and really read the job description/qualifications. as a new grad, the federal government also allows you 6 months from your hire date to complete your nclex. this will be written in the job posting and will let you know that they are accepting new graduates in the position.

i'm not sure where you live, but i recently read an article that identified several states that are in need of nurses. they are arizona, california, idaho, texas and utah. out of curiosity, i did check some of the hospitals in these states to see what types of positions they had and they do in fact have job postings for nurses with a minimum of experience (new grad, less than one year, etc.). if you don't live in these states and would consider moving, try submitting an online application. give it a try.

december is just around the corner. most hospitals will begin posting new grad positions in order to bring the new graduates on board. be patient, i think the economy will slowly begin to change and more positions will be posted for new grads/nurses with less than 12 months experience.

Thanks for all the response. I understand where all of you guys are coming from. Its just that i'm afraid of putting my 2 months experience in the LTC on my resume because it might not qualify me in the new grad RN program.

You see, the nurse recruiter that I spoke with said that since i'm already working, i'm not considered a new grad anymore. But I am still a new grad because I don't feel confident enough and still lack some clinical experience. So now, even though I work at LTC as part time, whenever I apply to a new grad RN program in some hospitals, I dont put my LTC experience. Also, this nurse recruiter added that by the time they opened their new grad program on feb 2010, it will be past my 12 months from the date of my graduation from nursing school...so it automatically disqualify me into their program according to her. Its not my fault that I couldn't get a job in the hospital. I really wanted to work there but they only wanted experience nurses. And when I told them that I am currently working part time in LTC, she said that its not considered as an experience because its not ACUTE. So I am kinda frustrated with this situation. I don't think I will be applying to that particular hospital anymore and will look at others.